The first reading of an ordinance to rezone a 10.02-acre property located on 801 E. Lake Francis Dr. from R-2 (residential, single-family) to R-4 (residential, multi-family), will be heard by the city board on Tuesday night.
This will be the board's second meeting of the year, and for the board's new members, it will be their first time to review such an ordinance, as the last application submitted to rezone a piece of property in city limits from R-2 to R-4 was withdrawn by its applicant following months of public opposition from residents living near the proposed site. The new proposal was reviewed by the planning and zoning commission on Jan. 8, and despite backlash from several members of the public, it received unanimous approval, according to a city staff report.
Complaints cited by residents primarily pertained to increased traffic, noise, parking space and concerns relating to drainage and sewage in the area. The applicant, Englebrecht Family Revocable Living Trust, has not yet submitted plans regarding the development that would be constructed on the property, but city staff believes that a lot split and significant development permit for the project will be submitted in the near future, according to a city staff report.
The lot in question is conducive for multi-family housing and has the potential to support 160 dwelling units, although city staff believes it will not reach this amount. Another of Tuesday's agenda items to keep an eye on is the appointment of nine individuals to serve on what will be called a "Steering Committee," which will be tasked with developing a conceptual design for the "East Main Street corridor," which will run from Maxwell Street to Lincoln Street.
The appointees up for the board's consideration include Ricardo Mortez, Kameron Slater, Aldo Rossi, Phyllis Shoenberger, Tyler Carroll, Sandra Rosales, Carol Smiley, Kelsey Howard and Don Clark. Committee members will be meeting with city staff in scheduled intervals throughout the design process to exchange ideas and provide feedback, and once a conceptual design has been finalized, it will go to the board for possible approval.
There is also an ordinance on the night's agenda that would permit newly-elected board director Lesa Rissler, to conduct city business with the company she works for as a city official, according to a city staff report. Rissler works for Crafton, Tull and Associates Inc., an engineering firm who on Oct. 16, got a $128,570 approval by the board that will fund design improvements along East Main Street, between Maxwell Street and Lincoln Street.
This ordinance will only be read for a single time and is likely to be considered for formal adoption thereafter, as that is typically common practice after the final reading of an ordinance. The reason for this is that the ordinance is "not general and permanent in nature," according to a city staff report.
In other business, the board will consider the following proposals:
• The approval of a one-year contract to purchase a number of different chemicals for 2019 at the request of the public works department.
• The approval of the renewal of the city's lease agreement with Siloam Springs Youth Baseball (SSYB).
• The second reading of an ordinance that would vacate two right-of-ways located on the 100 Block of North Country Club Road.
The board's meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the board will also be holding a "Zoning 101" workshop at 5:30 p.m. to help educate board members and the public about further details as they relate to zoning regulations. Both meetings are open to the public and will take place in the boardroom of City Hall.
General News on 01/13/2019